Stop for disk records for talking machines



J. F. BLAND STOP EORDISK RECORDS FOR IALKING MACHINES Mar. $1923.;

Filed Feb. .15, 1922 H I M "l -"III Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

U [TE S STOP FOR DISK RECORDS FOR TALKING MACHINES.

Application filed February 15, 1922. Serial No. 536,711.

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, Jos-ErH FRANKLIN BLAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVinston-Salem, in the county of Forsyth and State of N orth Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stops for Disk Records for Talking Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to improve ments in automatic stops for the turntables of disk record talking machines, such as Victrolas, or any other talking machine in which a rotating disk is used.

Accordin to my present invention I provide a brac et which may be conveniently attached at the desired position on the cabi net or casing containing the motor and other parts below the rotating disk; and this bracket has pivoted thereto a weighted arm and a brake piece, the weighted arm being so arranged that it will ordinarily stand in unstable equilibruim, but when engaged by the movement of the tone arm, as the said tone arm nears the end of its predetermined movement, falls by its own weight and actuates a lever arm controlling the brake. The brake itself engages the turntable on which the disk is mounted and brings the same to a stop. I

The invention is intended to be applicable to any of the well known talking machines on which a disk record is used, and the bracket and the parts carried thereby are so arranged that the bracket may be readily attached to or removed from the top of the cabinet of the machine. When once fixed in place, the bracket is no longer adjustable, but it may be adjusted for various types of machine or various sizes of record by removing the fastening screws and re-inserting the same in the desired position.

The device is also intended to provide means for stopping the turntable by hand whenever desired, at any time during the rotation of the turntable, and this may be done by simply touching the weighted arm by hand and allowing it to fall and operate the brake mechanism; this irrespective of what may be the position of the tone arm with regard to the record. In other words, when the device is properly set and the weighted arm is raised, it will operate automatically when the tone arm reaches the po- 51131011 at almost the predetermined end of its travel; and it may becaused to operate by hand, and not automatically, at any time while the turntable is turning.

My present invention relates to a simplifica tion of the apparatus shown in my applicatlon, Ser. No. 470322, filed May 17, 1921, and entitled Improvements in automatic stops for disk records for talking machines.

My invention will be .more, fully understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar-reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which:-

Figure 1- is a plan view of the top of the cabinet showing the tone'arm in the initial position before beginning the playing operation, and showing also the weighted arm in the raised position' Figure 2 is a similar View to Fig. 1, but shows the tone arm in the final position when a rotation of the turntable has been auto-- matically stopped, and it also shows the weighted arm in the position for operating the brake.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation showing the weighted arm in the raised positionand the brake released.

Figure 4. is a similar view to Fig. 3, showing the weighted arm in the lower positio with the brake applied; and

Figure 5 is a view of the devicev as seen from the left of Figure 1, parts being broken away. f.

1 represents the cabinet or casing containing the. motor and other parts, above which the turntable rotates; 2 represents the turntable which is mounted on' the rotary stem 3, rotated in the usual way, and from this stem projects the pin 5 which passes through the center of the record disk 4:, which is of the usual construction and provided with the usual record grooves. These grooves preferably terminate attheir inner endsin a deeper guide groove 0, see Figs. 1 and 2, so that the needle may be carried directly onto the plane surface near the center of the record disk. This groove 0 may be made by the use of a suitable appliance, such as a heated knife blade, or a heated awl, 'or even the hot end ofa hairpin; but this groove may be omitted if desired.

The turntable rotates in the'direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2.

6 represents the tone arm which-ispivoted to the top of the cabinet in the usual way, and carries the usual reproducer 7 which is connected tothe tone arm by the usual gooseneck, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and this reproducer carries the usual needle 8, see Fig. 5.

The construction of the parts heretofore described being well known in the art, and not constituting a part of my present invention will not be further described herein.

9 represents a bracket which is preferably in the form of a piece of metal bent to form a fiat base 9 with upwardly projecting sides. One of the sides terminates in an arm 9", and the other side in the form of a lip 9. The bracket may be secured at any desired position on the cabinet by means of the screws 9, see Figs. 1 and 2.

The arm 10 has its upper end preferably in the form of a rounded weight 10, and its lower end flattened slightly as at 10 to stand in unstable equilibrium when in the position shown in Fig. 3. The lower portion of this arm 10 is pivoted on the pin 11 extending between the sides of the bracket 9.

12 represents the brake piece which is in the form of a bent rod having one end 12 serving as a brake lever, and an opposite arm 12 carrying the brake shoe 13 which may be of felt, rubber or other suitable material, preferably of felt.

lVhen the weighted arm 10 is in the raised position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the brake shoe 13 will be free to fall away from engagement with the turntable and the turn table may be revolved freely; but when the arm 10 is released and falls to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4: it will engage the brake lever 12 and, swinging the brake piece about its pivot, will cause the brake shoe 13 to engage beneath the turntable, causing the same to slow down and quickly stop.

The operation of the device is as follows Suppose it is desired to play one of the records, put the record disk, in place, lift the weighted arm 10 to the position shown in Fig. 3, start the turntable rotating and move the needle to the position to begin playing; the parts being then in the position shown in Fig. 1. As the tone arm is moved gradually inwards towards the center of the turntable, under the action of the spiral grooves, it will gradually approach and finally strike the round head 10 of :the weighted 'arm 10, causing this arm to fall from the raised position shown in Figs. 1 and '3'to the position shown in F igsr 2 and .4. This arm will strike the brake lever at an advantageous leverage and will apply the brake and will slow down and stop the movement of the turntable without unnecessary jar to the apparatus. The tone arm may then be swung clear of the disk and another disk put on, and the parts returned to the initial position and the playing resumed.

If it is desired for any cause to stop the playing before the record has been exhausted, it will be suflicient merely to press the knob 10 to the left, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 and it will drop and operate the brake, stopping the turntable as before.

The arm 9 of the bracket 9 will serve as a guide in mounting the bracket in the desired position on the cabinet, as the tone arm will be swung against this arm 9 and the parts arranged so that the two will engage preferably when the needle has just completed the end of its travel in the grooves. When the automatic brake operates, this arm 9 will also serve as a final stop for the tone arm should there be any tendency on the part of the operator or others to move the tone arm too far towards the center of the disk.

WVhile I have shown the brake applied beneath the turntable, which would be the preferred position since at that position the brake would be out of the way when the apparatus is in use,.it will be obvious that the brake may be caused to engage on the edge or even on the top of the turntable, such modifications being shown in my application, Ser. No. 470322, filed May 17, 1921, and hereinbefore referred to.

While I have described a simple embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious that the construction, combination and arrangement of parts might be varied in a number of ways without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details except as particularly pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An automatic stop arrangement for use with disk record talking machines provided with a casing, a turntable journaledthereon, and a swinging tone arm pivoted to said casing; said arrangement comprising a bracket secured to said casing, a weighted arm pivoted to said casing and having a flattened base engaging the top of said cas ing, when in the raised position, said arm being adapted to drop by gravity when engaged by said tone arm, and a brake piece journaled on said bracket and having a brake shoe adapted to engage .said turntable, and an operating arm adapted to engage said weighted arm as it drops, and thereby to apply the brake, substantially as described.

2. An automatic stop arrangement for use with disk record talking machines provided with a casing, a turntable journaled there on, and a swinging tone arm pivoted to said casing; said arrangement comprising said am being adapted to drop by gravity described a bracket secured to said casing and propiece journaled on said bracket and having vided with an u wardly projecting arm, a brake shoe adapted to engage said turna Weighted arm plvoted to said bracket and table, and an operating arm adapted to en- 10 having a flattened base engaging the top gage said Weighted arm as it drops, and of said casing, When in the raised position, thereby to apply the brake, substantially as when engaged by said tone arm, and a brake J 'CSEPH FRANKLIN BLAND; 

